Our Stories-(I'm changing this title soon)
by Ekly Valdur
Summary: This is set three years after A:TLA and just one year after the comics. It's the stories of the characters we know and love up until Aang's death. Read about Kataang, Maiko, Sukka, Toph O.C. and their kids. Stories of love, loss, new challenges and old enemies. I very sadly have no ownership of Avatar.
1. Chapter 1

Katara felt warm. Uncomfortably warm. The sun had risen and her sleeping bag felt like a suffocating cocoon. She sat up, peeling her torso from the furs and turned to her boyfriend, ready to wake him only to see his rolled sleeping bad sitting where he'd slept. That wasn't normal. The now fifteen year old avatar was never awake before her. It was always a struggle to get him started in the morning now that he was in the throes of puberty.

Growth spurts, ravenous appetite, breaking voice and the urge to hibernate were symptoms she easily remembered watching her own brother endure.

What could he be up to?

She twisted her legs out of her bag and rolled it tight, and put both bags in Appa's saddle before turning to the bison. He was munching happily on his hay, taking his time. He definitely enjoyed the more relaxed pace of travel, and the lighter load. She and Aang traveled together now that everyone had their own thing to do.

Sokka spent his time in the ever growing Republic City along with Toph who had opened her bending school there. Suki was still with her brother, working security for the Council and living with her brother, who seemed to be dragging his feet with his girlfriend.

Zuko of course was in the Fire Nation Capital with were the reason for the trip she and Aang were currently making. Just three days from now the couple would be getting married.

It was hard not to feel jealous. Her boyfriend was still a teen, and not quite ready for that step himself. She knew it was only a matter of time before those two years between them felt like nothing at all, but right now being two years his senior was practically torture. They had gone to visit her father in the South Pole, and she'd seen so many young couples starting their families.

A big part of her was ready for that.

"At least he fed you before he wandered off. Too bad you can't tell me where he ran off to." She pet the gentle giant near his ear and he let out a low groan as if making an apology and returned to his breakfast. Guess she better start their own breakfast so they could leave soon.

She stepped into the saddle and started fishing through their bags to get a clean pot, rice, and the ash bananas that Aang had picked from the trees yesterday. They had reached a Fire Nation Island late yesterday and decided to camp out to arrive early today at the palace.

"Wait!" She looked up to see and running toward her and she had to resist the urge to laugh. He hadn't grown into his legs yet and his awkward movements nearly made him stumble half the time. He waved as he called to her, reaching her quickly he smiled. "Don't make anything Katara. Today you're not doing anything."

"I'm not?" She smiled softly. She knew he was up to something. "Why not?"

"Cause today is for you. You didn't forget?"

Apparently she had. What was today? She ran through a mental list of important days and... oh. She smiled. "I remember now."

He grinned at her. "Happy birthday Katara." He leaned in close and his lips met hers in a soft kiss. It was short and sweet and made her stomach flutter. "Today is for you. We'll see Zuko and Mai tomorrow. He already knows we'll be late. We can swim, bend, go into town... anything you want. But after lunch you have three hours booked at the spa in town. Then after dinner I'll have a surprise for you."

"You are the sweetest boyfriend." She smiled at him and touched his cheek. "This sounds amazing. You didn't need to do so much."

"I wanted to. We went to the South Pole for your other birthdays and your family handled everything. I wanted to take care of it this time- but we'll go there as soon as we're done in the Fire Nation so you can see Hakoda and Gran Gran. I just thought it would be nice if this year it was just the two of us."

"It will be perfect." He was always so excited over her birthday. It was true he hadn't planned something like this before but he always managed something special for her. She suspected it had something to do with the fact he didn't get to celebrate his own.

Air Nomads had a lot of strange traditions and ideals. One being that no one's birthday was celebrated. They saw it as an act of hubris and unnecessary. Aang didn't even know the true anniversary of when he was born. He just knew he was born in the fall, and used the start of the season each year to add a year to his age. She didn't like it and had told him as much, but he acted like it didn't matter to him. But she could see it in his eyes, the more he watched his friends the more he wished his upbringing had been different.

"I brought back breakfast." He held up a box and opened it for her and inside she saw wild rice mixed with seaweed and komodo dragon sausage and a small sweet bun with red preserves.

"This looks delicious." She put the supplies away and took her box appreciatively, sitting with him and his own breakfast. His box was just full of local fruits and two sweet buns. She took a bite of her sausage first and smiled. She didn't eat meat often now, it was always easier to make just one meal instead of two different ones. She was normally okay with the dietary change but at the same time she missed the meals of home which included a great many things Aang wasn't so willing to eat. She ate more but blushed when she realized she was being watched. "What?"

"You just look happy. I like to see you happy."

"Of course I am. How could I not be here with you like this?" Now he smiled and blushed, choosing to focus on his own breakfast now. They ate the rest of their meal in happy silence, taking time to enjoy food neither of them had to prepare. That was always a nice treat. "I can't wait for the spa, it's going to be amazing. You've never gone before, have you?"

"Nope. But I won't today either. I have to get the surprise ready while you're there."

"Oh, really? It won't be as nice alone. You should come too."

"We'll spend the whole rest of the day together, I promise. I'm making you something and I really think you'll enjoy it."

"Alright. I'm sure I will." She touched his shoulder and leaned in to kiss his cheek, pressing her lips on the far side of his face near his recently more defined jaw line. Then she kissed him again against his neck, and she could feel his skin get hot under her touch. As much as they touched and kissed he nearly always became bashful from the attention. She would miss that if he ever grew out of it. When she sat up straight again she nearly laughed as she saw the blush not only across his cheeks, but the matching shade of red on his ears and even his head.

"So, what do you want to do first?" She knew he knew how red he was and wanted to change the subject, so she let him.

"Actually a day at the beach sounds like a lot of fun. We should go until lunch. Swim, lay in the sun, look at some shops. We really should find a gift for Mai and Zuko."

"Then that's what we'll do." He hopped to his feet and with a smile he reached his hand down for hers. She took it, and when he pulled her up to meet him she smiled again as she noted she had to look up ever so slightly to meet his eyes. She had a feeling she was going to wish every day could be like today.

* * *

After five hours at the beach and lunch in a nearby restaurant he got Katara to the spa and watched her leave for her first treatment, a long bath in the natural hot springs. When she heard that she wasn't as reluctant to see him go, he knew she needed to unwind.

Now was when all his work started and he knew he needed to get right to it to make the rest of her day as perfect as he could.

First he had to go back to Appa at the campsite and bring him into town so he could stay at the stalls until morning. Easy enough. He already made sure he and Katara had a room at the inn. He knew she would be excited to sleep in a bed. It was a rare luxury for them both since she always traveled with him. These first years after the war kept him so busy they were always on the move.

He had to go back to the market for all the supplies he needed, and take a swim for the seacumquats.

Next involved some flying. There was this desert-ish patch in the middle of the island with cracked clay-like dirt that would make a perfect oven, almost just like the ones in the temples. He stood on the dirt and used his earth, water and firebending to make a cooked clay oven.

He spent the next two and a half hours making the mock seaprune soup Katara never got to eat, and baked her a fruit pie. A layer of cake with moon peach filling and sweet icing, which he made a light blue that matched the color of her mother's necklace, which she still wore every day.

He couldn't wait to see what she thought of everything. He wanted the night to be special. Nothing made him happier than making her happy. Katara always did so much for him, supported him through every challenge he had to face. He just had to show her how much he loved her for that. When everything was ready he took it back to their room and set a table outside the balcony of their room. He'd asked the nice woman at the spa to bring Katara here and give her their room number. All the had to do was wait for her. He stood in livingroom with a smile on his face and watched the door. He just knew they would never forget this birthday.


	2. Chapter 2

Three hours at a spa soaking in steam, getting a full-body massage, a manicure and a salon treatment left Katara feeling beyond pampered. To think Aang spent so much time, effort and well, money left her feeling completely fuzzy inside. He really outdid himself.

And she had more coming.

Hopefully she could meet the high bar he set when she gave him his own special day. She had no way of figuring out what his proper birthday was. It was lost to time. But they could celebrate another day. She remembered the exact day she had found him, and it merited celebration. She already knew that this year at least, it would be a surprise. She would have to find a way to get everyone there for a party. She would give him a day that was for the two of them on another year. Aang deserved to know what a birthday felt like.

She walked down the hall and stared at the door number she'd been given. He paid for a room, in a building which just HAD to have a bed. Would he share it with her? It's true they slept close nearly every night. They always put their sleeping bags together. But there was a line they never crossed, an unspoken agreement that nothing serious would happen between them until they were older, until they were married. They never did too much more than hugging and kissing, with no other kinds of touching. That rule could be harder to follow in this situation. She wasn't sure if she liked that or not.

She lifted her hand next to the number on the door and knocked softly.

It felt like he opened in in an instant, nervous smile on his face as he did, and she smiled.

"Hey, Come in. Did you have a nice time?"

"It was perfect Aang. Thank you." She walked in, touched the top of his shoulder and leaned in for a kiss." This is the best birthday I've had in a very long time." He smiled wide at her praise and held her hand.

"Come on. Your next surprise is out here." He lead her through the roomy quickly and she laughed at his excitement, running along the short space of the room with him until she saw the table on the balcony. She could smell the soup in the bowls, and near their dinner table was a tray with a cake. There were unlit candles all over, ready to use when the sun started to go down. "I hope you like it." He moved to the chair with the full sized serving of soup and pulled out the chair.

She sat down and stared in an almost disbelief. "How did you get this in the fire nation? We haven't been to the south pole in months either."

"I made it, the last time we were there I got your GranGran to teach me." He sat in his own chair and used his finger tips to stroke the wick of the candle on their table and effectively lighting it.

"You made dinner? A southern tribe dinner?"

"And an air nomad desert. That was why we had to stop here. Besides the actual temples this was the one place I knew I could make a one right."

Now she had to be all mad he was all the way on the other side of the table. She'd have to save the kiss she wanted to give him for after dinner. "Is there anything you can't do Aang?"

He smiled, and then he laughed nervously, looking down at his dinner.

"What?"

"No. It sounds... over the top."

"Now you have to tell me."

"I was just thinking... I couldn't not love you." He mumbled slightly, still letting himself be embarrassed. This wasn't the first time he'd said those words to her by a long shot, and she had told him the same. He was right though, lines like that were still cheesey. And she loved it.

"I know exactly what you mean Aang."

They spent nearly two hours eating, drinking and enjoying dessert as they talked and laughed and stared at one another. The cake he made was amazing, and she knew an air nomad styled oven would have to be added to their future home on air temple island.

"I have one more surprise."

"Another one? You've done too much already Aang."

He smiled and held up a piece of paper, she took it and saw a picture. It looked like a swirl of three waves, curling into the tighter swirled symbols for air.

"I thought if you said yes, I could carve this into the other side of your necklace, if you want."

"If I said yes?" She couldn't stop the smile that came to her lips as she watched him. He kept eye contact for this, but she could tell that he was clutching his pants in his hands like a lifeline.

"I know right now I'm still too young, but next fall I'll be seventeen, old enough in your tribe to... And I want to, as soon as we can. I can't stand waiting to... Katara, I love you so much, and I want to marry you. Will you marry me?" He said this in a rushed breathe, and then held his own as he waited for her answer.

"Nothing would make me happier Aang."

His face went from nervous excitement to complete elation in a second. He stood and held his hand to her which she took and stood with him and they kissed each other deeply arms wrapped around each other.

This was definitely her best birthday ever.

* * *

She let her soon to be husband walk her across the courtyard, toward her parents home. Their usually comfortable silence feeling awkward. Normally Zuko was nearly as quiet as she was. They never felt the need to talk for the sake of talking.

Right now though Zuko's excitement and nerves were ready to bubble over.

Funny how something could be annoying and endearing at the same time.

"You can say it." She looked at him, and he smiled at her.

"Two more days Mai. We'll never spend another day or night apart in just two more days. They can't go by fast enough for me."

"I know. Patience has never been your specialty." She smirked at him softly, and saw he was unphased by her teasing. His smile was unwavering as he looked at her.

"I just know we're going to be happy. Who wants to wait to be happy?"

"And you haven't been happy?"

Now the smile faltered into a near panic, eager to fix his words he stopped. "Of course I've been happy. But this is... beyond normal happy."

She looked at him amusedly and he relaxed. "I know what you mean. Things will never be the same."

"Yeah... As happy as I've been, holding myself back with you... it hasn't been easy."

She tried to give him a knowing smile which seemed to work because he walked with her again. Soon they would be together. Their wedding night was so close and they both knew it was coming. Soon Kaja wouldn't be the only man to touch her like that. It would be better then, when it was Zuko's touch she knew.

She felt the familiar cold unease settle into her as she thought of Kaja, and the time he spent in her cell. It left her feeling rigid and clammy, and she pulled her hand from Zuko's to pull her shawl closer around herself.

"You're cold?"

"Maybe just a little."

He decided to remedy that by pulling her into his side as they walked, his arm around her waist gentle but firm. It was comforting and suffocating all at once.

"Thank you." She leaned into his side, letting him support her until they reached the door of her house. I'll be back in the morning, so I can greet them with you."

"I would like that." He leaned in close to her, his lips next to her but not quite touching hers. "I love you Mai." He whispered to her, his eyes intensely on her while holding a happy calm, and he kissed her. It was deep and passionate, his hands holding her hips close to his body and she kissed him back, letting her hands touch his neck.

He pulled away with a smile, and backed away from her slowly. "I'll miss you."

She crossed her arms at him. "You're ridiculous. I'm down the street from you and you'll see me in less than ten hours."

"I know."

She smiled and shook her head at him. "Watch where you're going or you'll fall."

"Night Mai." He finally turned as he walked, but looked back at her several times until he turned the corner. She rolled her eyes, but kept smiling as she walked inside and went straight to her room. It was late enough she wouldn't have to bother with her parents.

She changed and sat under her blankets, the cold she felt inside stronger now that she was alone. She lay against her pillows but her body stayed tense.

To both love and hate Zuko's touch drove her crazy. For three years she's felt dirty. Not just from what happened, but keeping it all a secret. Ty Lee was the only one who knew, and she still lived in the earth kingdom. They never talked about it.

She never wanted to. It was something she would always have to carry.

If she told him, he could never go back to not knowing. He would know it happened because she defended him at the Boiling Rock. That he left her there.

He couldn't feel guilty for that, because he did what he had to. She knew that now. There wasn't anything that he could do to make it better that he wouldn't already do for her.

She just had to remember it would be better when she was with him.

It would be better soon, when she could replace the memories of that night with her wedding night.

It just had to.


	3. Chapter 3

"Good, you got here first." Zuko smiles and pulled Mai's hand into his. "They shouldn't be much longer."

"What about your Uncle, is he here yet?"

"Not yet... I'm sure he'll get here in time though. He wants to be here." The tea shop in Ba Sing Se still made Uncle happy, but he missed him more and more. Whether it was about sharing happy times, or leaning on his uncle whenever things looked bad, the older man's presence was always sorely missed.

Maybe soon, as their family grew, he might reconsider coming home for good.

He could open a tea shop here.

"I know. He'll do all he can to get here in time. And if he does miss it we'll just guilt him into a longer stay."

He smiled. Mai never said much, but she always knew what to say when it mattered.

"Now I'm not sure what I want more."

"You should tell him you know. He'll stay if he knows how much you need him."

"Or he'll stay away to prove to me that I don't need him as much as I think I do. Uncle is... tricky."

"That's one word for it."

He couldn't help but chuckle. He knew what she meant. Catch Uncle on the wrong day and he could be all riddles and metaphors. If you weren't used to it, or if you just weren't in the mood on a particular day it could be infuriating. It had been for him, once upon a time.

Then from the corner of his eye, he saw a puff of white in the sky. He turned his gaze and watched with Mai as the Bison circled the sky, slowing his speed as he descended into the square to land.

Aang and Katara climbed out of Appa's saddle, and Zuko kept Mai's hand in his as he walked closer to greet his friends.

"Fire Lord Zuko." Aang stood forward solemnly greeting him before he broke into a smile goofily and bowed to him, before quickly pulling Zuko into a hug.

"It's good to see you too Aang." He gave the boy a few pats on the back, because the quickest way out of the Avatar's hug was to participate before withdrawing. He pulled back, and his eyed widened slightly. "You're taller."

"Yeah." Aang didn't shout, but his excitement was easy to read nonetheless.

"I have a feeling he's not going to stop any time soon either." Katara spoke up as she stepped closer to the group. She smiled at Zuko and Mai. "How are you two managing? Are you okay or are your toes starting to get frost bite?"

"No cold feet here." He smiled and looked at Mai so she could confirm the same.

She squeezed his hand in assurance first and he smiled.

"We've waited more than long enough already."

That was true. They both knew now that they'd both had crushes on one another long ago in their childhood, both were so wrapped up in their feelings that they weren't voiced until years later. Not until after his banishment was made official did they talk, very shortly before he sailed away. And she was the one brave enough to say something, to promise she would wait for him.

He was so lucky.

"I didn't think you would be," Aang piped up. "What's scary about a happy ending?"

Zuko smiled. "I like to think of it more as a happy beginning."

Mai groaned softly. "When it's over will you stop being so sappy?"

"No promises."

She groaned and he laughed softly.

He hoped this feeling would never fade.

Zuko looked to Aang. "So tell me, what state has the rest of the world been in over the last few months?"

"Okay mostly. We spent some time with the Air Acolytes. Calmed down a few spirits. Nothing too crazy really. After the wedding we're going to go see how Republic City is doing. It should be okay with Sokka Toph and Suki there, so we aren't too worried. Might even stay there a month or two before we start traveling again."

"Never in one place long, are you?"

"No way. I am a nomad. And Air Temple Island isn't done yet. Why not move around while I can?"

"We mostly prefer the comforts of home." He looked at Mai with a smile. "Speaking of which, why don't we go inside? Both of your rooms are ready, and you can freshen up before lunch."

The pair seemed... disappointed? Then they smiled.

"That sounds great," Katara announced.

"I'll get Appa in the stable first." Aang announced. He'll feel better about it if I take him."

"Of course. I'm going to get my work out of the way while you get settled in." Zuko looked at his soon to be wife a moment, and let go of her hand. "I'll see you all at lunch."

He turned around and walked inside. Working was the last thing he wanted to do, but the more he accomplished now the more uninterrupted time he would have with Mai after the wedding. Barring any emergencies they would be able to spend a full week at Ember Island.

He'd also rented out a house for Uncle, and Aang and Katara as well. After the first day or two alone he liked the idea of spending a few days with his family and friends. They would rarely have the chance to do something like this again anytime soon.

Trying to recover from a hundred year war while building relations with the Earth Kingdom, both Water Tribes and dealing with rebels kept him annoyingly busy. At least at the end of the day he could relax at home with Mai. He honestly didn't get how Aang enjoyed his constant travels. All Zuko wanted during his own time traveling the world was to go home.

Though, traveling would feel different as a choice. Exiles usually longed for him. He guessed so anyway.

It didn't matter if he would like it now, it wasn't an option. Not aside from occasional trips.

That didn't matter. There was never a time in his life that he was so happy as he was now, as he would be in his future with Mai.

Life would only get sweeter.

* * *

The time was coming.

He knew of his son's wedding, and he knew what it meant.

A good portion of guards would be at the wedding, to keep the guests as well as Zuko and his bride safe.

This would be his absolute best opportunity to escape, and there were those loyal enough to him to help.

Ozai begrudgingly ate the bland and stale meal he'd been given. He needed his strength to escape.

In time, he would find someone to fix him. Then he would have his revenge. He would destroy the young Avatar before doing the same to Zuko, and take back his place as Firelord. The opportunity to become the Phoenix King was gone, but at this point he was willing to settle for his old position.

He would have to take out the Avatar quickly. An assassination would really be his best option. As much as he would enjoy slowly burning the boy to his bones, Ozai was smart enough to know that the Avatar will have only become more competent, and stronger, in the last three years.

With Zuko however... Ozai could take his time destroying his treacherous son.

He would break not only Zuko's body, but his mind and spirit as well.

Then a new war, more brutal than the world has seen, would begin.

* * *

**A/N: **

**First, I want to give a shout-out to Friedchicken23. You left such a great review. I can tell you I eat up reviews, they make me SO much more eager to get to work on future chapters.**

**Second, I was wondering if my readers would want me to bump up my rating to an M to give full details of Zuko and Mai's wedding night, as well as full details about what happened between Mai and Kaja.**

**Tell me your vote in the reviews. Whichever rating gets the most votes will reflect highly in my next chapter. Voting will "close" in three days so I can get back to work on the story.**


	4. Chapter 4

The wedding came and went with no big issues.

The ceremony took place inside with invited guests. No more than thirty.

Iroh didn't make it.

After the indoor ceremony, she and her new husband were presented to the masses below. They all cheered. Zuko gave a speech.

She didn't pay attention.

The closer they were to going to his room for the night the tighter her chest felt, which made the rest of here feel heavy and sluggish.

How would she get through the night? She couldn't not be with him without an explanation, but as her panic seemed to keep escalating she was less and less sure she could be with him with out actually breaking apart. She doubted they could recover if she broke down somewhere in the middle of their first experience together.

Zuko was a strong man. He was also completely fragile. If she fell apart while they were in bed together it would hurt him, and she wouldn't be able to be it any better. There would always be a part of him that would feel like it was because of him, and he would pull away from her.

That was when she looked at her wine glass. She rarely had more than half a glass with dinner. Never enough to be more than slightly tipsy. It was something that might help. She needed help.

Through dinner, dessert, and even dancing she got down four glasses. She was most definitely the drunkest she had ever been. She leaned on Zuko as he lead her from the Great Hall toward their room. Her things would be brought in while they were on Ember Island. She looked at her new husband with a small smile on her face.

"Today was nearly perfect. I'm sorry Iroh didn't get here in time."

"Like you said, we'll get him to make it up to us. All that matters right now is that we're together. We never have to spend another night apart. That's so amazing to me."

"I know. You were never built for being alone."

"You're right."

"I'm always right." She poked him in the ribs for emphasis, and he laughed. He pulled her into their room with a smile.

"How could I forget?" He spoke softly and leaned in for a kiss. It was soft and loving, but soon became eager. His fingers tugged on the strings for the outermost layer of her bridal kimono, and soon it was on the floor behind her.

Usually she would tease him more, but it didn't feel right in this moment. Instead she just smiled softly at him, and made her hands reach for his clothes as well. She took off all of his top layers together before putting her palms on his chest and letting them run down his torso. Their time at the beach on occasional weekend getaways made this part easy.

She let her fingers trail over the large twisted scar between his ribs and his stomach before leaning close to kiss his collar bone. He groaned softly and she froze when she could feel his excitement against her. She put on a hopefully unwavering smile as she pulled his pants loose, worked her thumbs between the fabric and his hips and pushed them down until he was stepping out of both.

Looking at him now brought back that old feeling. The one she would often get when they spent too long cuddling and kissing on the couch. It was... a warmth. She felt it at her core, could feel it move through her chest and to her fingertips. She could remember when the only reason she restrained herself had been the guards standing just outside the arch that lead to the hall. In those months he was home, before the eclipse, she had wanted him so badly.

And she'd let that feeling die because of the month she spent with Kaja.

Then, Zuko was on her. Pulling away her clothes, rough hands exploring her skin. Moving as slowly as he had been until now had likely been a struggle for him. It was almost enough to make her panic in that moment. She was naked, and he was touching her, yet it wasn't the touch she had once been familiar with. Even when he became rougher, Zuko would never touch her the way Kaja had. That thought brought her back from her rising panic, and she focused her attention on Zuko's eyes, his scars, his hair. Everything that showed her she was with her husband and not that bastard.

"Zuko..." His name left her lips in a gasp as he kissed her neck. She tilted her head for him, pressed herself against him and closed her eyes. Zuko. This was Zuko.

"Mai. I love you so much Mai." He spoke softly in her ear. He gently moved her onto the bed and he crawled over her. Zuko was on her. Zuko, Zuko, Zuko.

He moved between her legs, and she could feel him against her thigh. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, her breast. Then he leaned on one elbow, and she could feel him lining himself up against her entrance, and she couldn't stop herself from stiffening.

"Mai?"

"Shh... it's alright. Our first time, it's going to be uncomfortable. It will be better later, but we can't get to that if we don't do the hard part. I'm okay. Just... Just do it fast." She touched his face again with her right hand, and she felt his scar until her finger. Zuko. This was Zuko.

She saw him nod a little in understanding. He didn't, of course. That's what she wanted.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't." She kissed him, she touched him, she held onto his hips.

He kissed her back, pressed against her more, then thrust into her in one solid motion, quick as she'd asked. Then he stopped and held her closely, feeling he had to wait for her to adjust. He kissed her forehead and her temple, he kissed away the tears she couldn't hold back.

"I'm okay. I am. Keep going Zuko." She wouldn't be for much longer, she needed him to be done.

He nodded slowly, and kissed her tenderly as he thrust into her in slow and shallow movements. It was uncomfortable. It's been three years, and each movement made her insides sting.

"Go faster Zuko... Please." She gasped a little when he did. It still hurt,but the faster he moved the sooner he would lose himself.

He groaned and grunted, and seemed to move faster with each thrust. She wrapped her arms around his back and his face became buried in her neck. "Mai, ugh... Mai, I'm... Ah!" He stayed deep inside her, rocked into her hips gently and she could feel the warmth of his release. He pushed himself up enough to kiss her before gently pulling away. He laid beside her, and pulled her into his arms, stroked her hair and kissed her shoulder. "I hope it gets better soon. I want to make you feel the way you make me feel."

"I want that too Zuko. It will happen." She held the hand wrapped around her, stroked it with her thumb. It didn't take him long to fall asleep.

She'd made it through well enough he didn't seem suspicious, but now she needed to do better. She could only hope it really would get better with time.

* * *

A/N: Okay, this took way longer to put out than I wanted. Sorry! A combo of technical difficulties and the fact that I have never written a lemony chapter before slowed me down. I know there wasn't a ton of plot in here, but I'll start getting to that in the next chapter.


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